An Officer and A Gentleman
by Katerzzzz
Summary: Revamped version of Falling Into The Dreamcatcher's Arms. Better writing, better development, better plotline. PLEASE READ! Helen Andrews travels with her husband, master shipbuilder Thomas, on the Ship of Dreams, only to experience something more.
1. An Altogether Different Type of Proposal

_**Was once called Falling Into The Dreamcatcher's Arms but has now been renamed An Officer and A Gentleman, based on who the story is based around. Hope this is okay xD**_

_**I have decided to rewrite this as I believe this fic, which is my most popular, deserves renovation and a bit more TLC, just placing the same S & D and hope you enjoy XD.**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, except Freddie, Sarah, Benji and Lily Wilde, Tommy Andrews, Catie and Emily Murdoch, Andrew and Richard Lightoller, the rest of the charcters that appear in this fic either belong to James Cameron, or history. **_

_**Summary: Meet Helen Andrews, wife of Thomas Andrews, the master shipbuilder, when she and her husband travel on the **_Titanic_**, Helen is trying hard to keep up appearances at the dinner table with the likes of Bruce Ismay and all the first class arrogance, until she bumps into one Henry Wilde, and, over the four days of **_Titanic's_** existence, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with this mysterious character, but even so, she loves Thomas more than anyone could know ,however Henry makes her see the world in a new light, and she will remain eternally grateful to him for that. She is torn between two that fateful night, whether to love her children's father, the Gentleman, or love the Officer. And, she, ultimately, has to choose who to grieve for.**_

_**Hope you enjoy the new, improved and hopefully better story.**_

_**Here goes guys.......**_

_**N:B: Just to warn, I have changed the age of Mr. Andrews...he's 31 in this.**_

* * *

One: An Altogether Different Type of Proposal

April 9th 1912

3:15 pm

Helen Andrews held the long, thin needle to the light as she struggled to thread the sewing tool with a miniscule, graceful line of gold fibre strands.

She flinched away as she pricked herself with the needle, causing her fingertip to bleed slightly, she winced "Why do the small ones hurt the most?" she asked herself as she wrapped a small strip of cotton material round her finger, tying it into a neat bow.

She sat back into the sofa and laughed, why was she wiling away the time by sewing anyway? She should be checking that the last minute preparations were all ready in advance of her trip.

She rarely left the British Isles now, since becoming a mother, she preferred to stay close to her children whilst they were still very small.

How she found herself going over to New York travelling via the world's greatest ocean liner she would never have guessed.

The answer, however, woke up next to her every morning.

It was him.

Helen sighed and placed her sewing back in its box for when she returned home. She stood up and tugged at her blouse, this blouse was her favourite, and she wore it whenever possible.

All around her she could see that all the families' personal belongings were being packed away gently for the great voyage. Even though this place wasn't her home, she loved this house all the same, no matter who lived here.

As she walked through the halls, the family governess, the young Eleanor Lane, known as either Miss Lane, or Lala to Helen's daughter, caught her attention.

"Oh, Ma'm, would you like the Miss Elizabeth's good nightgown to go in with her luggage or would you prefer her to have her usual gown?" Miss Lane asked, her beautiful red hair unravelling from its tight bun at the back of her head.

"I think Elba will settle for her usual nightgown, thank you, Lala" Helen laughed gently, affectionately placing a hand on Miss Lane's shoulder "As long as you're there, I'll doubt she'll be bothered."

Miss Lane nodded and scurried back up the impressive stairwell, to the small number of rooms that the young Andrews family had occupied whilst they were staying in Southampton with the Ismay household.

Helen sighed and wandered into the library room, where a great portrait of J. Bruce Ismay hung over the magnificent fireplace. All around the room were immense shelves filled to the brim with great authors such as Dickens, Conan Doyle, The Bronte Sisters, and Carroll. Helen traced her finger along the many colourful spines, some dark red, others green, the rest brown or blue. She loved books, they were places where everything was set in stone and nothing could go awry.

Not like the real world.

Helen picked up a copy of Charlotte Bronte's _Jane Eyre _, a book which Helen much liked, favouring the tale of forbidden love and harsh reality and the mysterious figure that was Mr. Rochester. She smiled as she flicked through the pages, remembering in an instant the turbulent dialogue and ardent caresses between characters.

She smiled, her cheeks warming as she reminisced of her childhood days when everything was beautiful and carefree.

She didn't look up as eldest daughter of the Ismay family drifted into the room, wearing a simple lingerie day dress, her dark brown hair tied into a loose bun, on her ring finger glinted a small gold diamond . Just 3 months stood between Margaret Ismay and her impending marriage, and, Helen wondered as she stared at the woman who was little over a year younger than her, would she be marrying her banker husband for love, or would it be a heartless marriage created just for status?

Helen smiled gently at Margaret, who inspected Helen with dark hawk-like eyes. She softened though when Helen mentioned her wedding "Are you looking forward to your big day?"

"Yes, I am. Mother and I have been to arrange the bridesmaid dresses, though she overruled me, I wanted a pale pink and she decided on a light blue", she leaned back in the armchair and placed a hand on her collarbone, stroking the silver pendant which hung round her neck.

Helen instinctively reached for the locket which hung around her neck, it was a gold ruby and paste bow heart shaped locket which had an intricate border around it, on the back of the locket was Helen's married initials, HBA, Helen Beatrice Andrews. Helen opened the locket and inside were two pictures, one of her sweet children, and the other of Thomas.

She remembered he, Thomas, had given it to her for a Christmas present the previous year, and she had never taken it off for a day since. She stroked the black-and-white picture of Thomas, caressing with her delicate nail his slender cheek bones and beautiful lips. She planted a kiss of her finger and pressed it into the picture of both her little ones and her beloved and shut the locket again.

Looking up she noticed that Margaret was staring at her, the girl smiled and said "I never thought you were much, Helen, but, looking at you, I realise you are what I should aim to be".

"You needn't aim to be me, Margaret, I haven't amounted to much" Helen shook her head gently.

"Did my father speak to Mr. Andrews, he said he has a proposal for you both?" Margaret said, cocking her head to one side.

Helen backed away, her mind suddenly telling her things. What proposition did Bruce Ismay have lined up for her and Thomas?

She smiled as she took her leave from the library, ascending the stairs as she prepared for her evening with the Ismay's.

* * *

6:32 pm

"Come in!" Helen gently responded to the knock at the door as she adjusted her pink diamond and topaz drop earrings.

She smiled as she saw, via her mirror, Thomas enter, adorned in a tuxedo.

He smiled warmly at her "You look beautiful, my darling", he walked up to her and planted a kiss on her cheek, breathing in his scent as he said "I haven't seen you or the little ones all day. I've missed you".

She fell into his arms as he rocked her like a baby "I've missed you too, darling".

He held out his hand to assist her getting up.

She took it and rose to her full height, letting Thomas take in her beautiful dark purple dress which glittered with rhinestones on a fitted bodice which skimmed off her corseted torso.

"Amazing" he breathed "Simply amazing".

Helen smiled and kissed Thomas on the cheek "Come, darling, let's go".

Thomas walked slowly down the stairs with Helen on his arm "I've been wondering what Mr. Ismay will be wanting from us".

"So have I" Helen murmured gently as they turned into the wonderful ornate dining room in which Bruce Ismay and his wife Julia waited for them.

"Ah, Thomas!" Bruce smiled "Helen, you are looking lovely, my dear!"

Helen cringed as she felt his prickly moustache on her cheek.

As she sat down, Bruce began "You may have heard, Helen, but I would like to announce our proposal to you both".

"Go on" Thomas nodded gently.

Helen feared the worst and immediately grabbed Thomas' hand below the table. He took her palm in his and squeezed it gently.

"Well, since our George is growing fast, as is your darling Elizabeth. Julia and I wondered whether you would be interested in seeing your little girl married to our son, when the time comes, of course!" Bruce barely stopped for breath as he sipped champagne.

Helen's eyes shot open, she looked to Thomas, and he glanced at her momentarily. Patting her hand he answered "Bruce..my friend, it's a bit early to be thinking about that isn't it?"

"No, no, no" Bruce smiled "No time like the present. So?" he asked as he poured champagne into Helen's crystal glass "What do you say?".

Helen tightened her grip on Thomas' hand, she looked at him with a pleading look in her deep amber eyes.

"Helen and I will discuss it after the voyage" Thomas said simply, smiling warmly at Helen as Ismay shrilled "Fantastic! Now, Thomas, how have the officers been after the reshuffle?"

"Well, Bruce, as one would expect, they, meaning everyone except Mr. Lightoller, have been very content with the shuffle" Thomas answered.

"Have you heard, ladies?" Bruce asked "Mr. Henry Wilde has been drafted in for the maiden voyage, one of the most experience officers in the company, he is, much more so that the Mister's Murdoch and Lightoller" his moustache twitched into a smile.

Helen turned away from the conversation and looked forward to the maiden voyage.

**Hope you enjoyed.**

**Make sure you review! Don't be too harsh please! Thanks!**


	2. Just Say Yes

_**Thanks for the lovely reviews guys! Am trying to do quite a bit before Christmas so this will be updated regularly.**_

_**Okay, is now sailing day and will introduce Henry first off as he gets off the train. **_

_**Then it'll switch back to Helen's side of the story so I hope you enjoy**_

Two: Just Say Yes

April 10th 1912

5:31am

As the train chuffed into the station, its screeching whistle woke a heavy-eyed Henry from his peaceful doze.

He rocked from side to side as the train came to a slow, agonising stop. Henry sighed, he had been hoping to take charge of his own vessel for the coming week, as a Captain finally, but, again, he was to be in the position of Chief Officer.

Not that he minded, of course, it just took a lot these days to be given orders rather than having complete control. Ever since that day, the day his world fell around him, he had been used to telling everyone what to do, how to act, how to behave.

Yet, he still followed orders when he was away from home.

He blinked open his drowsy blue eyes and stared out of the window at the bleak, grey morning which Southampton presented him with.

"It'll brighten up" Henry muttered to himself as he folded up yesterday's paper sitting on the seat beside him.

He sighed as he collected his small luggage case, which partly consisted of three sets of Uniform, his great coat, his cap, his shaving cream, razors, and some more personal possessions.

Henry adjusted his black flat cap as he stepped out of the deep red carriage, whistling in awe at the sheer amount of people clambering off the various carriages around him.

He shook his head; surely they couldn't _all _be here to see the _Titanic _off?

He raised his eyebrows quietly as he worked his way through the throngs of people, all working or lower middle class of course, no wealthy person would be seen dead on a public train platform. He smiled quietly to himself as thought of the likes of his employer, Bruce Ismay, and all his crowd who would turn their noses up at a place with so many 'idle vermin' as they would say.

As Henry hoisted his long black scarf over his shoulder, his ears picked up the shouts of the paper boy doing his trade in the midst of all the excited station commotion. "Get ya' papers! Get ya papers! _Titanic _sailing day! _Titanic _sailing day! Read all about it!". Henry smiled, threw the boy a tuppence and took a paper from the young lad's ever decreasing stack of the _Southampton Herald _. Henry shook the paper as he unfolded it and once again read the all too common headline "_**Titanic **_**Sails Today: Wealthiest In The World Board". **He sighed, rolling the paper back up and tucking it under his arm as he tipped his cap to the family that let him pass by them as he tackled the entrance to the station.

He breathed in the fresh sea air, this being the only thing other than the ships that Southampton had in common with his hometown of Walton. Henry sighed deeply, fixing his cap on his head as he took a left from the station toward the dock and the impending voyage of the Ship of Dreams.

But, as he walked the familiar route up to the White Star Line Buildings in the near distance, he felt a tugging sensation at the back of his mind. Something told him this voyage would be jinxed, and that made him want to run back onto the next train in fear.

But Henry knew he couldn't.

9:32am

Helen beamed from ear to ear as she stepped into her state-room for the duration of the voyage, A-36.

Elba pushed past her mother and trotted into to the ornate sitting area, one couldn't call it a room as it wasn't big enough, but it was certainly a spacious quarter in which Helen and her family could carry out daily tasks and rituals without losing that all important sense of home.

Helen smiled as her daughter, tottering on still unsteady legs, inspected her new surroundings. Her big, bright blue eyes were wide in awe as she took in the work of, although unknown to her, the beloved man she affectionately knew as 'Daddy'.

"Do you like it, Elba?" Helen asked gently as she removed her gloves.

Elba turned to her mother with a slight smile on her little face, her two porcelain like baby teeth just showing through her rosy pink lips. Her head was angled slightly, so her light ash brown hair fell behind her face.

"It's pretty" she approved with a nod of her head.

"That's good" Helen gazed at her daughter, laughing slightly as she hastily grew bored of the sitting room and ventured off into what would be the room of her and her brother.

Helen shook her head and her thoughts quickly returned to her unpacking.

"Right, I would like all of Elba and Tommy's things in one wardrobe and chest of drawers" she gently told Lala, and to her maid, Jessica Kelly, she said "I think all of my clothes will be able to fit into one wardrobe and chest of drawers also, Jess. Yes. They will be able to, right, Jess, you get to work on that and I shall see to it that Thomas also has clothes put away soon after."

"Right away, Ma'm" Jess curtseyed and dipped her head.

Helen noticed this and pulled the 17 year olds chin up, "I told you, Jess, you shouldn't do that, not to me, not my husband, not my children even. You do not see Miss. Lane doing it, do you?"

"With all respect, Ma'm, Miss Lane has been working for you a lot longer than I" Jess replied, not looking up.

"Jess, I do not care whether Miss. Lane has been working for me for longer, the fact is she never has curtseyed or dipped her head to either myself or Thomas" Helen laughed slightly "We do not wish for you to see us as heartless employers, we wish you to see us as friends, confidantes. We do not want you to look back on us as superior, but as equals."

"Yes, Ma'm" Jess faltered "But, Mrs. Andrews, I was always told by my mother than one should curtsey to one's mistress."

"Oh! For God's sake, Jess, just say yes and agree with me. I do not wish to see you curtsey of dip your head to me ever again."

"Yes, Ma'm" Jess finally slid away into the double bedroom beyond that of the children.

Helen shook her head, smiling as she walked over to the window which looked out onto the promenade deck.

There were very few couples she recognised, even not dressed in all their finery, she could only pick out a handful, most of whom she knew of from various magazines and papers.

Madeleine Astor, just a few years her junior, yet forced into a marriage with a man more than half her age.

Helen reached for her left hand and stroked her diamond engagement ring. She would never forget her wedding day, dressed in a fine, beautiful white lingerie dress with a 3 foot train and a trousseau of 6 bridesmaids, all in the same shade of mauve muslin with beautiful flowering violets.

She smiled warmly to herself as she remembered that loving look in Thomas' blue eyes as they stood at the altar in front of friends and family and promised to have and to hold from that day forward till death did they part.

Thinking too deeply made the peaceful dream turn into a nightmare as Helen saw an image of Elba, little over 18, being married to the disturbing child that was George Ismay.

Helen turned away from the window, her hand over her mouth; she was suddenly feeling unwell and as she began to stagger away from the world outside, she felt firm, strong hands on round her waist.

"Helen?" Thomas' gentle voice broke through the dark clouds in her mind "Are you alright, my darling?"

Helen opened her eyes to see her husband looking at her with concern in his deep, sea mist blue eyes.

And beyond that, was that same look of love that he had gazed at her with on the day of their marriage four years before.

Helen sighed so heavily that her whole body shook, she laid her head on Thomas' chest and closed her eyes as he held her like he had done so many times before.

"You didn't answer my question" Thomas murmured into her hair "Are you alright?"

"In all honesty, Thomas, no, no I am not alright. I am fretful that we will have to see our beloved little girl married off to George Ismay as soon as she turns 18 and that we won't have a choice in the matter" Helen kept her eyes closed as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"We will have a choice, we are her parents and we shay she should marry for love, like us. Not for social status or any sort of personal gain, but for one simple thing..." Helen could hear Thomas' heart beating through his shirts as he spoke "...for love".

"And for nothing else" he muttered quietly.

_**Hope you enjoyed I know I enjoyed writing this, hope my introduction to Henry was satisfactory enough and hope you enjoyed my bit of Helen/Thomas fluff. **_

_**Will be updated by Thursday I hope. Happy readings!**_


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